Abandon: Chapter 18
The Abernathy Trilogy
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
Abandon
Chapter 18
Justin
For hours we ride southward, as swiftly as our horses will take us. None of us speaks, concentrating solely on putting as much distance between Hereford and us as possible. I feel Brian behind me, clutching tightly to my waist, and it is heaven. Though we are far from escaped...though we have just consigned ourselves as criminals in flight from the law...I feel relieved and peaceful.
Just as night begins to fall, we come upon the narrow River Trothy, as promised by the map I'd found in Brian's library. We follow it into a dense forest and decide this to be a good place to stop and rest the night. William offers to start a fire, and suggests that Brian and I water the horses.
All three of us dismount wearily, sore from our ride. Brian and I lead the horses down the bank and wait as they take their fill. I pull out one of the flasks I'd stowed and pass it to him, feeling a current run through me as his hand grazes over mine. He looks at me longingly over the backs of the horses... I desire so desperately to kiss him...to wrap my arms around him and never let go. But none of that is possible while William is with us. So I must be content with the wonderful vision of him, alive, and standing before me once again.
Brian
All three of us are visibly exhausted after the ride, and after sharing a loaf of bread, we sit languidly around the fire. Rather, William and I sit, as Justin has long since fallen asleep. He lies on his side, a few feet away but facing me, as though he could watch me in his sleep. That angelic face I feared I'd never see again... It takes every ounce of restraint in my body not to throw myself at him and wrap him up in my arms.
"So to which of you can I attribute this scheme?" I ask of William.
"'Twas the boy's idea. I admit I thought it senseless at first, but he was...persistent."
"He's a bull-dog," I agree, unable to conceal my smile. I look over at the beast in question, curled into a ball under his blanket and looking all of twelve years old.
I glance at William then, who has followed my gaze.
"William," I begin solemnly, "I can't ever thank you enough for what you've done. You've...saved my life, and probably at the expense of your own."
"I still breathe, Brian," he chuckles.
"Yes, but what is next? By trying to help me, you've...both of you...have made yourselves criminals."
"Brian," he sighs, pausing for several moments, "in the last conversation I had with your dear father, I promised him that I would watch out for you, for as long as I could. In all these years it has been a great joy to me to watch you grow into a wise, kind young man. You are an honor to your father, and a dear friend to me. And no false criminal charge will change that."
His words cut me through the heart, and I know...it is time for the truth. I owe him that, and so much more...though I worry that in telling him, I'll be destroying a friendship I'd known a lifetime.
"William," I sigh, "there is something I must tell you...and I fear that if you know it, you will not think so highly of my character...or so positively of your decision to rescue me." I glance over at Justin's innocent form before continuing.
"Justin and I..." I begin, my breath shaking.
"Brian," he interrupts, quietly. "I know."
"You do?" I reply, my shock evident.
"Justin has told me everything,"
"He...when?"
"Yesterday, before telling me of his plan to save you," says William.
"So you know that Josephine's...accusations...were true."
"Yes."
"And you still wanted to come for me?"
"Brian," he starts and then stops, searching for the words. "I don't...understand it...nor do I think it best for you..."
"I know..." I agree. "I can't tell you that I understand it either. But somehow...I know that there is no other way for me."
William sighs, not hiding his disappointment. "So shall I never live to see your wedding day?"
"I'm sorry," I say weakly, shaking my head. "I think it quite unlikely."
"Aye," he whispers sadly, returning his gaze to the dying fire. Resigned, I determine that this is the best I could have expected from this conversation. As we wrap ourselves in blankets and lie down for sleep, I wish only that he and I were not on such shaky ground as this.
A few minutes later, I hear William's voice and turn my head to face him.
"Brian...I wish that you weren't...this way... But that doesn't mean that I don't care for you," he says earnestly. "I always will."
"And I you, dear friend," I answer, feeling as though a pin has finally been pulled out of my heart. "Thank you...for everything."
He nods briefly and we turn our faces back to the canopy of trees above, allowing the last crackling embers to lull us to sleep.
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
Abandon
Chapter 18
Justin
For hours we ride southward, as swiftly as our horses will take us. None of us speaks, concentrating solely on putting as much distance between Hereford and us as possible. I feel Brian behind me, clutching tightly to my waist, and it is heaven. Though we are far from escaped...though we have just consigned ourselves as criminals in flight from the law...I feel relieved and peaceful.
Just as night begins to fall, we come upon the narrow River Trothy, as promised by the map I'd found in Brian's library. We follow it into a dense forest and decide this to be a good place to stop and rest the night. William offers to start a fire, and suggests that Brian and I water the horses.
All three of us dismount wearily, sore from our ride. Brian and I lead the horses down the bank and wait as they take their fill. I pull out one of the flasks I'd stowed and pass it to him, feeling a current run through me as his hand grazes over mine. He looks at me longingly over the backs of the horses... I desire so desperately to kiss him...to wrap my arms around him and never let go. But none of that is possible while William is with us. So I must be content with the wonderful vision of him, alive, and standing before me once again.
Brian
All three of us are visibly exhausted after the ride, and after sharing a loaf of bread, we sit languidly around the fire. Rather, William and I sit, as Justin has long since fallen asleep. He lies on his side, a few feet away but facing me, as though he could watch me in his sleep. That angelic face I feared I'd never see again... It takes every ounce of restraint in my body not to throw myself at him and wrap him up in my arms.
"So to which of you can I attribute this scheme?" I ask of William.
"'Twas the boy's idea. I admit I thought it senseless at first, but he was...persistent."
"He's a bull-dog," I agree, unable to conceal my smile. I look over at the beast in question, curled into a ball under his blanket and looking all of twelve years old.
I glance at William then, who has followed my gaze.
"William," I begin solemnly, "I can't ever thank you enough for what you've done. You've...saved my life, and probably at the expense of your own."
"I still breathe, Brian," he chuckles.
"Yes, but what is next? By trying to help me, you've...both of you...have made yourselves criminals."
"Brian," he sighs, pausing for several moments, "in the last conversation I had with your dear father, I promised him that I would watch out for you, for as long as I could. In all these years it has been a great joy to me to watch you grow into a wise, kind young man. You are an honor to your father, and a dear friend to me. And no false criminal charge will change that."
His words cut me through the heart, and I know...it is time for the truth. I owe him that, and so much more...though I worry that in telling him, I'll be destroying a friendship I'd known a lifetime.
"William," I sigh, "there is something I must tell you...and I fear that if you know it, you will not think so highly of my character...or so positively of your decision to rescue me." I glance over at Justin's innocent form before continuing.
"Justin and I..." I begin, my breath shaking.
"Brian," he interrupts, quietly. "I know."
"You do?" I reply, my shock evident.
"Justin has told me everything,"
"He...when?"
"Yesterday, before telling me of his plan to save you," says William.
"So you know that Josephine's...accusations...were true."
"Yes."
"And you still wanted to come for me?"
"Brian," he starts and then stops, searching for the words. "I don't...understand it...nor do I think it best for you..."
"I know..." I agree. "I can't tell you that I understand it either. But somehow...I know that there is no other way for me."
William sighs, not hiding his disappointment. "So shall I never live to see your wedding day?"
"I'm sorry," I say weakly, shaking my head. "I think it quite unlikely."
"Aye," he whispers sadly, returning his gaze to the dying fire. Resigned, I determine that this is the best I could have expected from this conversation. As we wrap ourselves in blankets and lie down for sleep, I wish only that he and I were not on such shaky ground as this.
A few minutes later, I hear William's voice and turn my head to face him.
"Brian...I wish that you weren't...this way... But that doesn't mean that I don't care for you," he says earnestly. "I always will."
"And I you, dear friend," I answer, feeling as though a pin has finally been pulled out of my heart. "Thank you...for everything."
He nods briefly and we turn our faces back to the canopy of trees above, allowing the last crackling embers to lull us to sleep.